Psychosocial effects of the quarantine during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the residents of the island of Brač.

Abstract

BackgroundAn unprecedented health and economic crisis in small island communities during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated the importance of studying its harmful effects on residents’ mental health.ObjectivesTo examine the differences in negative affectivity, perceived stressors, and social support both on the quarantined and not quarantined islands.MethodsA web-based survey and correlational cross-sectional research design were used, based on a nonprobabilistic convenience sampling method to select 613 Croatian islands’ residents during May 2020. The participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the General Information Questionnaire, data on their exposures to stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic and the perceived social support.ResultsCompared with the nonquarantined residents of other islands, the island of Brač residents scored significantly higher on the symptoms of depression (M = 11.61; t = 2.13, P < 0.05) and stress (M = 13.06; t = 3.21, P = 0.001) subscales, receiving more support from religious communities (t = 2.34, P = 0.02) and less from the physicians (t = −2.68, P = 0.01). Lower sociodemographic status was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to protect mental health in isolated island areas specially for singles and people of low socioeconomic status.